The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-10-12


strain upon his vitality long enough to save
something. but the compensation is not sut-
flciently large to grow wealthy upon before
his physical capital D. lost IN corporeal
panic
He is expected TO piform impOssibilities
10 record the words OF half dozen wrang-
ling lawyers, and IL he omits a remark one OF
them remembers making he is an "incompe-
tent and has ruined the case ! reported
some wears in the courts Of western city,
where many Of the witnesses were hardy, hot
heady Germans. each determined to win the
case by the vehemence Of his own testimony.
The nudge Jury and counsel would passvely
allow a witness 10 run out a string OF Jargon,
three quarters or more Of It utterly unintelil-
eible. and when the Teuton had run down
the Judge would say:
"Mr Stenographer. read what the witness
said"
Now, Mr.. Stenographer' Is no more able
to masticate such linguistic hash than any
other hearer, but he is expected to understand
all languages and all conglomerations II
sounds in any wise resembling language IL is
regarded as machine into whose auricular
hoppers, so to speak, any mass Of words may
I II.
outlets in decipherable stenography; or as a
sort Of Photographic camera, which takes an
instantaneous impression II language, how
ever rapid, ambiguous obscure, involved or
ndistinct il may be But the fact is Mr..
Stenographer" is human, very human, with
all humanity's pitiful limitations. lie must
hear the words clearly 70 write them, and
there is a decided limit 10 his speed Two
hundred and fifty words a minute is "a high
speed, but over 400 can be spoken i'm that
time Besides, his speed varies Indigestion
or some other complaint may draw n film
over the brain and the stenographic forms
will not come a. quickly as bidden but no ac-
count is taken Of that. II he is not able 10
read his notes on request, or makes errors I'm
transcribng what no one understood on de-
| livery. care is taken 10 let him know he Is an
incompetent
Many inaccuracies or indscretions in
speeches, which are unnoticed when the Ian
gusge is glowing with oratorical fire, are
glaring when presented in the cold tangi
bility Of type. But the reporter gets all the
blame If they creep in through haste on lack
o. knowledge Of the subject, and II be- at
tempts 10 correct, may make worse blunders,
or change the style 10 the chagrin Of the ora
tor So he is in strait, he is liable 10 de-
pressing censure whether he transcribes as
delivered or tries % correct.
Very vague ideas prevail as 10 the capa-
/ biliiies Of the stenoggapher. One noon a law
yer came 10 me and said: II want a tran
script Of this mornings testimony Wien
] inquired By the time court opens this
afternoon | was expected t0 transcribe
into longhand In one hour and half the
length Of the recess what il had taken three
hours 10 write in shorthand And yet my
reply, What would be the use Of writing
shorthand n could write longhand twice as
rapidly" was regarded as impotence and rs
! incontestsble evidence Of my Incompetence
Constantly writing the thoughts Of Others.
the stenographer has little opportunity for
originality in his own Yet 10 be- successful
requires much information on various sub
/ iects and II that were used in some original
| line Of thought aud action. the return IN
money, aud perhaps fame, might be far su-
| perior 70 hi, highest compensation in stenog-
raphy
! People erronsousy suppose that, By the
writing Of 80 much matter, the stenographer
must lay up a vast store Of valuable infolma-
ton The words fash so rapidly through bis
train that the thoughts have not time %
lodge He tries 70 get the word, aud lets
the thoughts take care Of themselves 10 stray
! items Of information are caught Inc has no
I time 10 assign them 10 q particular place,
consequently he may accumulate a mass of
unconnected facts not classified to be Of ready
accessibility. The Thoughts represented
/ by tbs words the stenographer writes so
rapidly wear no deep courses in the memory
| They are like leaves scurrying across dusty
/ road they leave faint traces which are soon
obliterated. An experienced law reporter
/ once told me that he firmly believed the
practice OF stenography weakened rather
than strengthened the memory This may
have been somewhat strong but, as the
memory Is not required 10 hold the thought
more than an instant, IN which it must recall
the peculiar forms TO represent the spoken
words. the tendency certainly IS not 10 in
crease il retentveness Or 30 cultivate the
faculty Of orderly reasoning
There are Of course. some fine situations
particularly in the political feld-to which
stenography is the "open sesame but its
magical power lies in long and hard expert
ence, a reputation for faithiuIness and sccu-
racy and ready information on many sub
jects, and the situations are nor. as is gener-
ally supposed, smooth and pleasant paths,
adorned by perennial flowers Of ease and ell
/ joyment.
II il be said that these trials are no worse
than those OF oher vacations, and are 70 be
courageously met and overcome as the Oh.
stacles incident to oil earthly careers, then
let me say, in conclusion, that, for some rea-
son. stenogrephers rarely regard their pursuit
as being adopted for life, but are forever
looking forward 10 some happy time when
they will be relieved OF their burdens. It
may be seriously questioned then whether it
is wise to adopt calling one viii almost GER
tainly not to wish 10 follow I'LL old age and
when there is grave doubt OF It's returns
concentrating the toll, care aud intense strain
upon the vitality. II. NJ. H0EE
william T.. Cramer.
William f. Cramer, Of The Milwaukee